Lead screw assemblies are well known devices for linearly actuating devices. A lead screw assembly uses rotational motion of a lead screw to linearly actuate a nut having internal threads that engage the external threads of the lead screw. Rotation of the screw in a first rotational direction actuates the nut in a first linear direction along the axis of the screw and reversing rotation of the screw to a second rotational direction actuates the nut in a second linear direction, opposite the first linear direction, along the axis of the screw. As such, the nut is mounted for rectilinear motion along the lead screw.
Prior lead screw assemblies are known, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,913,940 to Erikson et al. and RE 32,433 to Erikson et al. illustrate lead screw assemblies that include nuts that have flexible fingers to permit adjustment or predetermined biasing of the threads of the nut towards and against the threads of the lead screw.
The present invention is directed toward improvements in relation to the lead screw and nut interaction of lead screw assemblies.